Types of Ergonomic Chairs

by Chandler Warnick

If you spend hours at a desk every day, an ergonomic chair can make a big difference in your comfort and, therefore, your productivity. While the majority of ergonomic chairs used today are the basic desk chairs and computer chairs you see in offices everywhere, there are actually several different ergonomic office chairs available; some of which take a drastically different approach to keeping you comfortable than the typical ergonomic chair you're probably used to. Keep reading to learn about four Types of Ergonomic Chairs; one of which could be the right office chair for you.

Ergonomic Chairs:

Ergonomic kneeling chair: Kneeling chairs are backless office chairs that have an angled pad on which your shins rest in front of and below the seat of the chair. While the knee pad on ergonomic kneeling chairs is the most distinctive feature, the actual seat of a kneeling office chair is what makes the biggest difference in how it affects your posture. Kneeling chair seats are tilted forward, which helps seat you in such a way that your spine naturally remains erect and properly aligned.

Ergonomic saddle stool: People have been riding seated on horseback for hours at a time for hundreds of years, making saddles the most tested and refined work chairs ever. Someone finally decided that if a saddle works well when you're sitting on a horse, it may work well when you're sitting at a desk, too, which is how the ergonomic saddle stool came to be. Saddle stools, also called saddle chairs, have no back, only a saddle-shaped seat that is sometimes divided into two halves. Like kneeling chairs, saddle stools are designed to help you maintain an erect posture while you sit at your desk, which can reduce back pain and strain.

Ergonomic task chair: Ergonomic tasks chairs are the desk chairs that you typically see around the office. While task chairs don't seem as innovative as some of the other ergonomic chairs out today, they actual have benefitted from years of modifications that have made them a comfortable standard in today's offices. Ergonomic task chairs generally have curved backs that hug the contours of your spine, giving your lower back needed support. Task chairs are also usually adjustable in a number of different ways, so you can tailor the fit of your ergonomic chair to your height and preferences.

Ergonomic swing chair: Ergonomic swing chairs look similar to regular task chairs, but they move much differently. The seat and the back of the swing chair are designed to turn or "swing" when you move, so they maintain evenly distributed support on your back and legs, even when you lean forward or lean back. Swing chairs aren't as drastic a departure from the traditional office chair as some of the other ergonomic chairs are, but many people love the way the swing chair moves with you, relieving some of the soreness and loss of circulation associated with spending long hours in a desk chair.

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